“To B2B or not to B2B – that is the question?”

“To B2B or not to B2B – that is the question?”

Over the past few years, B2B communication has grown in importance, gaining marketers’ interest comparable to B2C. Therefore, we should not ask whether it is worth implementing, but how to do it effectively.

We all participate in the communication revolution. This is due to the widely used new digital communication tools. It is predicted that in the United States, which is the world’s largest advertising market, this year will see online advertising as a leading position in terms of spending. On September 14, 2016, the number of active Facebook accounts in the world exceeded one billion. According to Facebook Polska (data as of 10/12 2016), about 15 million Poles communicate through this channel, and this group accounts for 64% of all Internet users in Poland.

B2B vs. Digital

The development of new communication tools obviously does affect B2B marketing. The way we communicate with our potential customers is changing. It becomes multichannel, and information acquired online or via social media complements our offer. This is because effective B2B communication is based primarily on the relationships, and it takes time to build them. Selling on first contact is rare, and success is the sum of reputation, experience, and credibility.

source: 2013 B2B Lead Generation Survey

What’s hot, what’s not?

According to a survey conducted by Holger Schultze on the most effective communication channels in the B2B sector, participation in conferences/trade fairs, and therefore face-to-face communication, still ranks in the first three. Moreover, according to the latest 2015 survey participation in conferences/trade fairs has gone ahead of the corporate website, SEO and email marketing.

What does it mean?

This means that B2B communication is specific and not every tool, not every channel already proven in B2C will work. When preparing a B2B communication strategy, we should not race with the competition for the latest tools, but make a thorough analysis of the needs and behaviors of our potential customers and then select the right means of reaching them. Current analysis and verification will ensure success.

The effectiveness of B2B communication, which translates into increased number of orders and business growth, besides using an integrated communication approach, still favours a face-to-face contact. This is why B2B communication is synonymous with a “human2human” communication. Let’s meet!